In the past, connections between electronic chips and boards have typically used electrical connectors, conductors, pins, cables, or buses. Connections between electronic chips and boards can allow communication between various electrical circuits and systems and can create greater functionality of a system. Electrical signals typically propagate slower than light or optical signals. In addition, electrical devices can use more power per bit of information to generate or drive electrical signals within an electrical cable or bus. An optical fiber can transmit and receive more data than an electrical conductor, which allows optical channels to pack a higher density of data (more data or greater bandwidth) than electrical conductors.
However, individual optical fibers can be more expensive to connect than electrical conductors. Often boards and chips require greater data densities than a single optical fiber can provide.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.